Madeline

Eleven months old! Can you believe it? We certainly can't. How easy it is to forget just how fast the first year flies by! So many things have changed since I last posted about Maddie. We finally have a tooth! Its a bit lonely now, but at least two others are trying to come in. They've been "trying" to break through for awhile now with no luck though, so who knows when we will be able to say that she has teeth. Despite the fact that she must be uncomfortable from it, she has remained our happy little Maddie May.
The past few weeks, her personality has really started to come through. She is turning out to be a little stinker and getting into all sorts of trouble. Now that we put a gate at the bottom of the stairs, I no longer have to chase her away from them every five seconds, but she still is obsessed with trying to get into bathrooms, electrical outlets (she figured out how to get the plug covers out of the sockets), and crawling under and into the tiniest spaces. The other day she got herself stuck underneath her crib and couldn't get back out.
Whenever I tell her not to do something, she just heads towards it even faster, giggling all the way. Or she'll shake her head yes at me when I tell her no, no. She loves to growl. She'll crawl around the house growling at her toys, and loves to growl at her sister and parents. Its hilarious!
She adores her big sister, following her wherever she goes and trying to play with all of the big girl toys. As much as it drives her crazy sometimes, Kailey is really good about entertaining Maddie and loves to sit her on her lap and read to her. It always melts my heart to see them interact.
We don't have a walking 11 month old, which surprises me a little because Maddie has done everything else so early. She took a few steps a couple days ago, but I think she has realized that crawling is faster at this point, and she is always in such a hurry to get where she is going, she doesn't want to take the time to slowly walk there.
Finally, she loves to snuggle and give kisses. She usually doesn't snuggle for long, but whenever we ask her for a kiss, she is willing to give us a big sloppy baby kiss. Nothing gets better than that!
I know she has a runny nose in this picture due to her teething, but you can see her first tooth!

Kailey

Kailey is getting so big. I am finally coming to terms with the fact that my baby is going to be going to kindergarten in the fall, and every day I am amazed by how smart she is.
She is very ambitious. She has a dream to be a paleontologist when she grows up. A few months ago she was going to be a "working mom" and be a mommy and a paleontologist, but recently that changed. We were walking to the park the other day when she informed me that she is never going to be a mommy. Of course I asked her why and this was her response: "Because children are naughty." It was hilarious.
She also went on the Tower of Terror at California Adventure a few weeks back, and it has fast become her favorite ride. Now we get to ride that almost every time we go, and she tells everyone she meets that she went on it. What a little daredevil she is.
Kailey has a very big imagination. Every day she pretends to be someone/something new. The other day she was a puppy, and we were driving in the car and she told me that she couldn't wait to go home and have a bone for lunch. Today we were being mice. Every time I talked to her, she made me talk in a high pitched voice, and would correct me if I forgot.
She is really into drawing at her new desk, coloring and writing me notes. She loves to leave little letters and notes to us around the house, or make cards for us and hang them on our door. The other day she was being naughty and had to go to her room and a little while later she walked in, handed me a piece of paper, then walked out again without speaking to me. On the paper she had written "I am mad." I just had to laugh at that.
We just love our little girl so much and we are so lucky to have her in our lives! She is absolutely adored by her baby sister, and brings so many blessings into our home with her vivacious personality.

Christmas in California

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. Kailey was so much fun making sure that we left carrots out for the reindeer on Christmas Eve and helping Maddie open her Christmas presents. Maddie had the most fun with the wrapping paper rather than the toys she got.

Ward Christmas Party--Kailey is afraid of Santa, so I had to hold her to get her in the picture
All dressed up

Christmas Eve pictures
At the temple
Me with my sweet little girl
Hanging out in new Christmas jammies (Chad picked Maddie's out. He obviously needs a little boy someday).
Christmas morning
Kailey's new tent and flashlight. She sleeps in it almost every night.
Maddie playing with the paper. Her favorite part of Christmas
Kailey's new "Cera"
The Loot

Halloween

So a few months late, but better late than never right? My New Years Resolution was to be better at updating this. So far, not so good since this is my first update almost a month into the new year. Oh well, I guess we'll just keep trying.
Maddie was a darling little elephant for her very first Halloween and Kailey was a Disney Princess for the very first time. She made a beautiful little Belle and we had a blast at the trunk or treat and with our friends.
Pumpkin carving (and eating)
Posing before getting in their costumes

All ready!!!

Six Months Old

Our little Maddie May is already six months old! We can't believe it. She is growing up so fast. She is such a sweet baby. She loves to snuggle with her family and play with her big sister. She blows bubbles and talks to us constantly and smiles at almost everything. Big sister Kailey can always make her laugh. She rarely ever cries unless she is tired or hungry, and loves to see new things. She is already determined to be able to follow her sissy around soon and is struggling hard to crawl by rocking on her hands and knees. I'm sure she'll be racing around our house soon.

How adorable is this little girl when she cries?

She loves to stick her tongue out

Kailey's Birthday--A Month Late

For Kailey's birthday this year she wanted a pizza pirate and princess party with her friends, so that's what we did. All the kids dressed up and we had a party at the park with lots of games. I think the highlights were Red Rover, London Bridges, and Red Light, Green Light. Maddie was a champ and sat and watched us from her stroller almost the entire time.

MMMM Pizza


Duck Duck Goose




Red Rover

She chose to have Rainbow Chip cupcakes with pink, green and blue frosting

All Things Kailey

Kailey has always had the ability to say and do things that make me laugh, but lately she has just been coming up with more and more stuff. Here are just a few highlights of our Kailey filled days lately.
She has decided that she wants to be a "working mom" as she puts it when she grows up. She wants to have babies like me and she also wants to be a paleontologist so she can dig up dinosaurs. We are going through a Land Before Time phase at our house and we are required to refer to her as Sarah or Littlefoot at almost all times. Unfortunately, with that we are also called Grandma and Grandpa when she is being Littlefoot. Imagine the looks I get in stores when my four year old is calling me Grandma. Its a bit embarrassing.

We went to the Griffith Park Observatory and they did a little show where they made a comet. Now Kailey loves to make her own comets around our house. All it takes is a ziplock bag and water and her imagination. Now I have to be very careful and supervise her around any water faucets so I don't have puddles around our entire house.

When we were driving in the car the other day this is the conversation that took place.
Kailey:"Mommy, when I grow up I'm going marry Joshy."
Me:"Um, okay."
Kailey: "Because then I can be part of his family and he can be part of ours. I'm going to wear a poofy yellow dress too."

A few days later, she said this: "Mommy, Josh is so cute with his curly white hair." Then, they were holding hands during the primary program practice at church! Boy are we in trouble when she gets older.

We also read a book about bugs a few weeks ago and Kailey became obsessed with mosquitoes. So now all we hear about is how mosquitoes love to drink blood...and how they have most likely drank her own blood at some point in her life. Oh how we love this curious little girl!